Differential expression of hepatocyte growth factor in liver, kidney, lung, and spleen following burn in rats

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays a role as an organotropic factor for r egeneration of injured organs. HGF is synthesized as an inactive single-cha in precursor which is then converted to a biologically active heterodimeric form by proteolytic processing. Burn is the insult that results in hypovol emia which causes systemic organ injury. In this study, we investigated the induction and activation of HGF in various rat organs following burn traum a. Tissue HGF content determined as the total amount of the single-chain an d heterodimeric form increased significantly in liver, lung, spleen, and ki dney 12 h after burn. Molecular analysis revealed that HGF in these four or gans of control rats was the single-chain precursor. In the burned rats, HG F was the single-chain form in the liver and lung, whereas heterodimeric HG F was detected in the spleen and kidney. Tissue protein content, an index o f tissue injury, descreased significantly in the spleen and kidney, indicat ing that tissue damage was severe in these two organs. These results sugges t that burn induces the production of HGF in various organs, and that the i nduced HGF is activated according to the severity of tissue damage caused b y burn. (C) 2000 Academic Press.